Grand Theft Auto is a top-down action game developed by DMA Design in Dundee. It first came out for MS-DOS and Windows in Europe on 28 November 1997, published by BMG Interactive, followed by a PlayStation version in December 1997 and North American releases in 1998.
Development began on 4 April 1995 under the name Race'n'Chase, in which the player was a police officer chasing criminals. The team found that dull and switched sides: the player became the criminal. The game is set in three cities based on real US locations: Liberty City (New York), San Andreas (San Francisco) and Vice City (Miami).
The game's violence caused controversy even before launch, and publicist Max Clifford turned it into free promotion; Brazil's Ministry of Justice banned the game. Two expansion packs set in 1960s England, London 1969 and London 1961, came out in 1999. Planned Saturn and Nintendo 64 versions were never released, while a Game Boy Color port appeared in 1999.123
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Grand Theft AutoMS-DOS and Windows. | MS-DOS | Mar 24, 1998 | ASC Games | 1 |
| NA | Grand Theft Auto | PlayStation | Jun 30, 1998 | Take-Two Interactive | 1 |
| EU | Grand Theft AutoMS-DOS and Windows. | MS-DOS | Nov 28, 1997 | BMG Interactive | 1 |
| EU | Grand Theft AutoPort by Visual Sciences. | PlayStation | Dec 12, 1997 | BMG Interactive | 1 |
| JP | グランド・セフト・オートGurando Sefuto ŌtoA PC version was also released in Japan (date not given). | PlayStation | August 1998 | — | 2 |
| EU | Grand Theft AutoPort by Tarantula Studios; North America November 1999. | Game Boy Color | Oct 22, 1999 | Rockstar Games | 1 |
| EU | Grand Theft Auto: London 1969Expansion pack; a second expansion, London 1961, also came out in 1999. | Windows | 1999 | — | 1 |
| JP | グランド・セフト・オートGurando Sefuto ŌtoJapanese version reissued on PlayStation Store as a Game Archives title. | Other | Apr 23, 2014 | GungHo Online Entertainment | 3 |
Also known as: GTA WW1Race'n'Chase WW1グランド・セフト・オート JP2Gurando Sefuto Ōto JP2
Box art by region
EU Grand Theft Auto
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: Wikipedia.
Version differences
-
GameplayPlayStation
The PlayStation version has four selectable characters instead of eight on PC.1
-
GameplayPC
Only the PC version supports networked multiplayer over IPX; there are several DOS and Windows executables, and the 8-bit-color DOS build uses slightly different graphics.1
-
CensorshipGame Boy Color
The Game Boy Color port keeps the PC levels and missions tile for tile, but simplifies graphics and sound, replaces trains with teleports and cuts most gore and swearing for younger players.1
Reception
PC and PlayStation shipments passed 1 million by November 1998; sales reached 3.5 million by October 1999 and 6 million by March 2001. GameRankings averages were 79% on PC, 68% on PlayStation and 57% on Game Boy Color. Critics liked the freedom, sound and radio stations but criticized the graphics and controls.1
In lists
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
Spotted a mistake? Write to atlas@old-games.net.